The Maryland Jockey Club said Wednesday that heightened security, especially at the Preakness barn, had already been planned well before Monday's bombings due to regulations and concerns about horse doping and safety.

"This is an ongoing process, and we continue to tighten it up," said MJC President Tom Chuckas.

He said his team is reevaluating the security strategy after the bombings in Boston. Chuckas said they've met and will keep meeting with Homeland Security officials, the FBI, Secret Service agents and other intelligence agencies he didn't want to name.

"I'll lean heavily on their recommendations. This is their forte. This is what they do," he said.

Counterterrorism expert and former FBI agent Tyrone Powers said he believes those agencies are already gathering intelligence.

"Drones have been deployed, and these drones -- despite the issues of privacy -- are able to provide quite an amount of information and surveillance that will help with protecting the Preakness," he said.

Without divulging exact details, Preakness officials said because of Boston, there will be visible changes at this year's festivities, including an increased law enforcement presence and possible metal detector wanding of ticket holders, including on the infield. There will also be those post-9/11 standards: More sniffing K-9s, inspections of the undersides of vehicles and bag and cooler checks.

"There are threat assessments done every week to see where we are, and we move our plans accordingly," Chuckas said.

A bizarre situation is unfolding in Baltimore in which people are paying rent to a landlord who claims he's helping fill the need for affordable housing, but there are serious questions about the living conditions inside, as well as who actually owns the homes.